Donald Trump stood accused of conspiring to commit campaign finance fraud and two of his closest aides faced jail time Tuesday, after court proceedings delivered a legal and political one-two punch to his embattled presidency.
Trump

In a drama that played out simultaneously across two US cities, a court found one former aide guilty of eight charges — and the other pleaded guilty to another eight — stemming from the federal investigation into the 2016 presidential election.

In New York, Trump’s longtime fixer, the attorney Michael Cohen, admitted to charges that included making illegal campaign contributions.

Cohen detailed how he made pre-election hush payments to porn star Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal. Both claim to have had affairs with Trump.

But in a sensational twist, Cohen also pointed to the president — or “individual 1” as a co-conspirator — alleging that he acted “in coordination and at the direction of a candidate for federal office” in making those payments.

“I participated in this conduct with the purpose of influencing the election,” a visibly crestfallen Cohen told the judge, his voice trembling at times as he addressed the packed courtroom.

That admission put Trump himself in legal jeopardy. And it raised the prospect that a once-trusted lieutenant is ready to spill secrets, gathered over decades, in exchange for a reduced sentence.

In a statement to US media, Trump’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani said, “there is no allegation of any wrongdoing against the President in the government’s charges against Mr. Cohen.”

Cohen’s lawyer Lanny Davis explained his client’s about face after years spent vowing to “take a bullet” for Trump.

“This is Michael fulfilling his promise… to put his family and country first and tell the truth about Donald Trump,” said Davis.

“Today, he stood up and testified under oath that Donald Trump directed him to commit a crime by making payments to two women for the principal purpose of influencing an election,” the lawyer continued.

– Nearer home –
While the Cohen drama was unfolding in New York, a jury in Virginia found Trump’s one-time campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, guilty on eight counts, including bank fraud, tax fraud and failure to declare foreign bank accounts.

Trump expressed regret, calling Manafort “a good man.”

“I feel very sad about that,” Trump told reporters as he arrived in West Virginia for a rally, claiming the conviction was part of a “witch hunt” after the 2016 election.

“It’s a very sad thing that happened, this has nothing to do with Russian collusion.”

Trump also sought to distance himself from Manafort — who was instrumental in the 72-year-old securing the 2016 Republican nomination.

“He worked for many, many people,” said Trump, citing campaigns for former president Ronald Reagan and vice presidential candidate Bob Dole.

At the rally Trump made oblique but impassioned comments about Manafort and the Mueller probe.

“Where is the collusion?” he asked the crowd. “They are still looking for collusion, where is the collusion? Find some collusion. We want to find of the collusion.”

– New York family –
It is Cohen’s decision to enter a plea deal that may pose the most problems for Trump.

While it is US legal tradition that the president cannot be tried, the allegation, if proven, will only increase calls for his impeachment as congressional elections in November come nearer.

“I think impeachment is now squarely going to define the midterms,” Rob Stutzman, a Republican strategist and Trump critic, told The New York Times. “It’s inescapable now that Democrats can legitimately raise that issue.”

Questioned by a federal judge in Manhattan, Cohen indicated he had paid sums of $130,000 and $150,000 each to two women who claimed they had affairs with Trump.

Cohen said he made the payments “at the request of a candidate” to silence “information that would be prejudicial to the candidate and the campaign.”

In addition to two counts of violating campaign finance laws, Cohen pleaded guilty to five counts of tax fraud and one of bank fraud during the hearing before US District Judge William Pauley.

The federal judge informed the 51-year-old Cohen that he faced a maximum of 65 years of imprisonment, with his sentence set to be handed down on December 12.

The US president had spent much of the day cooped up at the White House, as rainstorms raged outside and the two high-profile legal cases with profound implications for his presidency reached their coda.

At a courthouse close to Washington, jurors spent four days deliberating on the 18 charges against Manafort.

While the jury was unable to reach a verdict on 10 counts, prompting the judge to declare a partial mistrial, Manafort was found guilty on the eight remaining charges.

These included five counts of filing false income tax returns, two counts of bank fraud and one of failure to report foreign bank and financial accounts.

Each of the bank fraud counts carries a significant maximum sentence and the 69-year-old could theoretically live out the remainder of his years in prison — though a legal expert contacted by AFP predicted his sentence would in reality last less than a decade.
Source:

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/08/two-trump-lieutenants-found-guilty-president-implicated/

Ladies and gentlemen...

[img]https://media1./images/ebb0863e56123cdbb9d35a44a2f312fe/tenor.gif[/img]

Wish this happened in Nigeria

hmmmm

Gone

Ok

He’s going to be impeached! Its just a matter of time
Muller probably has his tax details apart from colluding with Russians

Exactly why America is and will remain the greatest country in the world. If you are guilty, you are guilty. The Law is for everyone irrespective of your class.

Correct government

Such things will only happen in lawful country where corruption is a thing of the past.

Impeach the dude........

With the way things are going, it may not be long before this Trump is impeached.



https://twitter.com/JimCarrey/status/1032049342981464064/photo/1

IPoB mumu illiterates have carried their loosing streak to the US. Watch as they would soon deny Trump. Being an ipob means you have superpowers that makes everything you support fail.

Hmm

Clinton's and democrats can't touch Trump. He's the kind of President that crazy Americans deserve.

Trump going going .


We told all the illiterates who assumed supporting Trump is a way to get back at Obama for supporting Buhari.


They never reasoned without that Sentiment in their head.


By the time Omarosa finishes with Muller, Trump will run away.

It's just one wahala after the other since this man has been in office.

Joke!

�

shammah1:
Clinton's and democrats can't touch Trump. He's the kind of President that crazy Americans deserve.

A typical Nigerian youth Always blame someone else for his self inflicted problems

They can only try but they can’t get Trump down.

olaola45:
Wish this happened in Nigeria

It can never happen in a shithole jungle

Liberals and their overhyped fake news ..I have bad news for all Libtards, satanist , homosexuals and Islamic terrorist DONALD TRUMP IS NOT GOING ANYWHERE till he completes he second term

This is not Nigeria ooo,the rules of law works there..

Americans are the god fathers of yahoo yahoo...so EFCC make una calm down on our lil' boys over here
Impeach? Cool but not in zooGERIA where the president will point blank it and say there will be bloodshed. Oshisco

Another lame attempt to involve Trump in a scandal. I guess the Russian story no longer sells.

A country that works. Institutions do their job and the law applies to everyone. Here the law only applies to the opponent of the president.

Trump can't be impeached for this.The worst that can happen is that it puts his second tenure bid in jeopardy.However,I still think he has a strong support base.

This is how a presidency ends. All because of ego. Trump knew he was dirty and his dealings were dirty and yet he allowed his pride push him into the spotlight. He never intended to win though. He was hoping to use a newly formed Trump tv to make bank. The Russians had other plans however.
This is only just the beginning.

diebuhari1:
Another lamr attempt to involve Trump in a scandal. I guess the Russian story no longer sells.

With recordings as evidence ?

Cohen, his long time lawyer taped him during one of the transactions

You think everything not Buhari is good ?

Ignoramus